Winter Bushcraft in the Northern Forest with Ray Mears

  1 of 6

  A wee note re being a female on the Woodlore Arctic Expedition with Ray Mears. This was my first encounter with Woodlore. The landscape is mesmerizing and it would be very hard to feel so immersed in it and experience it all without the support of the instructors and classmates - its dear but it is a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget. As we heard in the evenings listening to Ray, the land truly does teach us and I built up experience slowly until I felt more at home in the landscape. I think it’s really female friendly in terms of instruction and the comfort of a lodge no more than an hour or two’s ski away. I was sad to say goodbye to days of skiing across frozen lakes, trying to take in the beauty of the quiet and stillness, the long sunrises and sunsets and of course the northern lights! Skiing at night was really magical. I really enjoyed the challenge of it all. Book well ahead and talk to the lovely Woodlore shop folk re kit. The right kit doesn’t have to be dear but it builds your confidence. You definitely need the Nokian Naali wellies. I booked just a few weeks before the course and got away with second hand gear in good wool but it was just the pockets and small zip pulls that were the downside and I needed to layer more which was fiddly - the arctic designed gear is just more efficient and better at not losing heat - huge pockets are the way to go and the arctic gear has large zips that hands in thick mitts can work. Not that I’m an expert in clothing but it’s just what I noticed. For any females interested I would suggest you try and get good gear in female fit as the male fit gets bulky round the shoulders. The Woodlore staff are on hand by phone to help you work with what you've got and they definitely don’t push products from their own shop. From my experience the Woodlore shop is good as it’s the right quality to last and price is standard if you can afford it or don’t have time to look for second hand kit. It was a great laugh - I really felt the support of the other classmates and the instructors were great - Ray of course is funny and friendly and really supportive and his team of Dave and Tom were brilliant and encouraged independence. And thanks to the lovely Ruth with her cheery smile and sense of fun - you were brilliant. Thank you Woodlore!  

  Jk

  2 of 6

  Fantastic experience and great value for money. Memories I will hold dear for the rest of my days.  

  Gregory Matthew Neall

  3 of 6

  In short, this trip was a dream come true. The environment is stunning, so much so that the pictures really can never do it justice. Building and sleeping in a quinzee with the northern lights dancing overhead is something I will never forget. And then again in the hot tents. It was truly magical. This is a hard environment and somewhere you really cannot just 'tough it out' so having the superb Woodlore team teach you the necessary skills was essential. It is jam packed, from ice fishing, to shelter building, personal care, wildlife, snowmobiles, and cultural insight. The accommodation is very comfortable and the food is great, but it’s the nights spent out in the cold that you’ll never forget. Correctly attired you’ll be comfortable and excited. Yes this is a lot of money, but do I think it’s value for money, yes! The group I was with was a delight to spend time with and Ruth, Ray, Tom and David from Woodlore were an excellent combination with first rate guidance. I’ll be back!  

  Graham Mcintyre

  4 of 6

  A simply wonderful experience which I am still basking in the afterglow of over a month after having returned home. Thank you team Woodlore for the amazing time I had and the knowledge I took away. I saved up for a few years before deciding to commit myself to attending this course and I am pleased to say it was worth every single penny. I was somewhat concerned in the run up to the start of the course about my lack of bush crafting prowess and winter skills but this proved unfounded as I never felt in over my head. I learnt a hell of a lot in the 10 days and feel I will be able to use this as a strong starting point to develop more for the future and get out and explore more in a safe and efficient manner. I realised quickly that you really don’t want to be making avoidable mistakes when it is very cold as things could spiral out of hand quickly, but the course started with how to spot signs of frostbite and other potential cold hazards so luckily no mishaps! The course structure and the whole team of instructors were able to impart such a wealth of knowledge in an easily digestible fashion with an excellent pedagogical approach. Engaging and captivating each and every one. I enjoyed watching demonstrations of techniques used and tips and tricks to allow one to safely navigate and thrive in a northern environment as well as being able to ask questions and request clarification. It was a great learning environment and one I benefited from immensely. The fun really began when we participants were let off the leash to put into practice what we had been taught. Demonstrate, do, reflect would be how I would describe it. It is all well and good to read about how one should do something but to have it demonstrated and then actually do it yourself allows for that knowledge to sink in that much more permanently. The things I enjoyed doing the most were learning to travel on cross country / back country skis and constructing snow shelters / quinzees. I enjoyed the team work and effort involved and feel extremely grateful to have been surrounded by a really fantastic bunch of individuals. I am so very grateful that I bought the recommended Nokian Naali winter wellies because they allowed a very good fit to the Finnish military ski bindings as well as keeping my feet toasty when the mercury dropped. This really allowed me to embrace the joy of travelling on skis even if I did end up on my derriere more times than I can count. The base for the course was delightful and the food provided exactly what I needed so that I never felt hungry nor depleted. Breakfasts were something which I looked forward to most. In hindsight I wish I had read Ray Mears and Lars Fält‘s book Out on the land BEFORE arriving in Finland because there were many many things which I could have practiced in the comfort of my house (knots!) rather than trying to learn first time and tie with gloves on at minus 20 degrees centigrade.  

  Pat Stevens

  5 of 6

  What you will learn will inspire your future and enable you to overcome any challenge. If you haven't already booked you have no idea what you're missing. The days are full of practical arctic living lessons, Finnish skiing, shelter building, fishing, snowmobile techniques, finishing with living in hot tents . Evenings develop the practical skills with theory lessons on a range of topics inc equipment and how to operate in Arctic conditions. The course is based from a basic but comfortable lodge with excellent food providing over the six thousand calories per day that you will need to meet the course demands. We spent a number of nights sleeping out in various configurations and temperatures as low as -37 c. We saw the Northern Lights most nights and the scenery is stunning. One of the benefits of this course is that you learn to understand the mental attitude, approach and how you can be comfortable in what can be a harsh environment. One lesson is that you come to understand the significance of the phrase 'the colder it gets the fewer mistakes you can make'. You end this course with the theory practical skills, confidence and understanding to tackle any challenge you might face in any environment or walk of life. It's a real team effort from all the Woodlore team that make it such a success. They make it run so smoothly and pack so much in. What you don't see is the effort and long nights they spend planning, preparing and adapting to changes. Last time I was in the Arctic with Ray was 2005 in Sweden and wouldn't hesitate to go back again.  

  J

  6 of 6

  Having just returned from the Winter Bushcraft course in Northern Finland, I have to say what a wonderful experience I found it to be. Ray and his team have a wealth of knowledge and experience in this environment and the course provides a unique opportunity to tap into that well of information, all you need to do is listen and apply yourself. The course can be physically demanding at times, especially if you’re not very fit like me, but ultimately it is a rewarding experience that stretches beyond the immediate purpose of providing a baseline of skills for living and working in the Boreal forest in winter. Highly recommended and thank you Ray, Ruth, David and Steve.  

  Mik Norton